Milwaukee teens gain summer employment through city program

MILWAUKEE -- In today's economy, it is even harder for teens to find summer employment. The city of Milwaukee is stepping in, and making it easier for them to find work.

Instead of riding bikes outside, Washington High School senior Trent Polk and his classmate Javon Hammonds are spending their summer repairing them.  They’ve landed their first jobs in mechanics thanks to a program called Earn & Learn.

“I think it helps a lot of kids staying out of the streets, and at the same time, you learn stuff,” Hammonds said.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett helped initiate the summer work program seven years ago, providing paid part-time jobs to high school and college students mainly from the inner city.

“There are far too many young people in this city who come from neighborhoods where there are not enough jobs, and they don't see the opportunities that a lot of the middle class kids see.  What we want to do is instill the value of work.  We want to give them the opportunity,” Barrett said.

From non-profit organizations like the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, to city government and private employers like GRAEF, close to 2,700 students are spending their summers working at 70 different sites.

“I'm the marketing intern, so I'm responsible for helping prepare the proposal documents,” Ashlee Bishop, a senior at Alcorn State University said.

Bishop is getting first-hand experience in her field.

“It's been an eye-opener to come work in the corporate world,” Bishop said.

The program is a win-win for both the youth and their employers.

“Having the extra hands around, the extra help definitely helps us get through fixing more bikes faster,” Bicycle Federation shop manager Jake Newborn said.

It’s a program Mayor Barrett hopes to expand, by asking more private firms to join next summer.

“It's an investment program where you're investing in the future of this community,” Barrett said.

Since the Earn & Learn program started in 2005, the city has helped employ more than 14,000 teens during the summer.

If you'd like to apply for the Earn & Learn program or if you're a company that would like to join the list of employers, click here.